PERDA LIANA

Perda Liana is one of Sardinia's most attractive geomorphological formations. Its resemblance to the peaks of Monument Valley or Devil's Tower is quite striking. It's a natural monument in the shape of a large vertical tower, known as a tacco (heel). With its impressive height of 1,293 metres, it is one of the island's best-known natural monuments, due to the strangeness of its elegant, slender form. Erosion has gradually isolated the "tower" and shaped its base. At its highest point, the "tower" is around 100 m wide, with vertical walls some 50 m high. Its base is shaped like a truncated cone. In the Ogliastra region, the Perda Liana tower is one of the most important remnants of the erosion of an extensive limestone cover dating from the Jurassic period. Not only did it dominate this part of the island for tens of millions of years, but above all, being visible from a great distance, it provided a landmark for people travelling through this mountainous region. It is thought to have been a gathering place for peoples since the dawn of time. Perla Liana remains a place of mystery, fantasy and legend. It rises from the earth like a giant finger reaching for the sky, in the midst of a wild and sparsely inhabited nature. Perda Liana has to be earned, and the road is winding, but this monument is one of our top picks for hikes between Ogliastra and Barbagia.